What Makes A Good Chicken Coop?

Having pets keeps you active and productive throughout the whole day. Taking care of such creatures that you’re attached to is a great feeling. Most people prefer cats and dogs over other animals, however, some love to have pet chickens in their backyards. It’s a treat to see them being active while chasing each other along with having fresh eggs to eat every day. Chickens, like any other pet, require attention for their basic necessities such as water, food, and shelter from their caregivers. If you are just getting started with having chickens as pets, then it’s time you plan where and how you’ll keep them. 

We understand that it is not a big deal to keep baby chicks in any easily and obtainable container for some weeks, however, considering the housing need for chickens is important. That is when chicken coop saves you from worrying. And let us recommend you must plan to get a chicken coop from My Chicken Coop as they are extremely durable and offer good space for your chickens. In this article, we will describe all the things that make a good chicken coop for your pets. There are a few chicken coop necessities that you must remember before getting one for your backyard. 

Requirements for a Chicken Coop

There are people who prefer building a chicken coop for their pets in their free time, and then there are some who prefer getting a ready-made yet customized one. In both cases, people need to ensure that the coops they have are ventilated enough for their chickens or not. Also, the coops must protect the chickens from predators and rodents such as rats, mice, etc. Also, the coop must protect the chickens from moisture. Let’s first talk about the protection and security of your chickens. 

A Secure Chicken Coop

Ensuring that the coop is well-protected is a must. Of course, the chickens will need their free-range or playtime where they’ll actively need to roam around and someone will need to keep an eye on them but at the end of the day, they still need to be caged. The coop must protect them from all the sides including the top of it. Predators may try to gain access to your chickens, they include hawks, cats, dogs, rats, etc. For that reason, the chicken coop wire must be at least 10 mm by 10 mm or even smaller to prevent unwanted visitors from finding their way into your pet’s home. 

Proper Ventilation In The Chicken Coop

An ideal chicken coop must have a proper ventilation system to help your chicken stay healthy and active. Having enough ventilation for your chickens prevents them from developing respiratory diseases that are contagious as chickens are often prone to these conditions. It is considered that chickens create a lot of smell and mess with their bedding and feather, this is why ventilation is necessary to let fresh air flow in and out. You can leave some space around the coops opened by securing them with chicken wire. Know that a well-ventilated coop and a drafty coop has a lot of difference. It’s a good idea to have a coop with high points of ventilation for colder climates. 

Nesting Boxes of Chicken Coop

Certainly, a chicken coop is incomplete without a nesting box. There must be a sufficient number of nesting boxes present in the coop of your pet. It is considered to be a good idea to have one nesting box for every 3 chickens of your flock. Approximately, the nesting box must be 12 by 12 in size and should be a few cms above from the ground or the floor of the coop. Most chickens prefer their nesting box to be somewhat dark. This can be observed if your chickens are resting and laying regularly or are reluctant to do so. 

Roost of Chicken Coop

Roost is an elevated bar present in the chicken coop where chickens perch to sleep. They are extremely necessary to let chicken have their proper space to sleep. It is because chicken likes to sleep on an elevated area or chicken roosting bar rather than to sleep on the ground. They certainly like to be up in the air and that is why it is important to have roosts in their coop. When deciding for roosts, some things need caregivers’ consideration. Their roosts must have space for them to place their head and tails comfortably. You must ensure to keep them a few inches away from the wall and the ceiling. You don’t want your birds to hit their heads on the roof while jumping up and down from their roost.  

Also, estimate at least 12 to 10 inches of space for each bird when calculating how much roosts are required in a coop.  Furthermore, it’s pretty easier to make roosts by just anything. Just make sure it isn’t slippery for your chickens as they wrap their feet on them. So, you will need to avoid plastic pipes, or something round. In fact, go with something flat that is also made of wood for the comfort of your chicken.  

Space For Chickens

In terms of the interior space of the coop, there must be at least a minimum of half a square meter for every chicken. This will let your chicken have plentiful space to nest and roost comfortably. Chickens also need proper space to spread their wings. It also depends on the breed of chicken you have, however, 8 to 10 feet of space is required outside of the coop. Active chicken means a healthy chicken. But if your chicken will not have enough space or any free-range, your chickens will not stay healthy and active. Furthermore, it is certain that you need ample room in the coop for a drinker and feeder. 

Cleaning The Coop

Naturally, chickens create a huge mess. For that reason, regular cleaning is necessary. Make sure to have removable floor trays so that cleaning tasks become easier. Also, thorough cleaning of the coop is important every once a month.